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GAO Rejects Cooperative Agreements Dodge

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 08.27.12

On August 15, 2012, GAO sustained a protest by several housing agencies challenging HUD's attempt to obtain services through cooperative agreements, finding that HUD improperly avoided the procurement laws and should have awarded a contract. GAO's ruling serves as a reminder that agencies cannot avoid CICA requirements by using cooperative agreements (or inter/intra-agency agreements, which have also received recent attention for possible abuse) to avoid the competitive procurement laws.

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Client Alert | 2 min read | 07.15.26

CMMC Phase II Suspension Requires Reconsideration of Such Requirements in Solicitations

As discussed in more detail here, the U.S. Department of War (DoW) recently issued a memorandum (Memo 26-P-1023, dated July 13, 2026) directing the immediate suspension of Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Phase II requirements (Level I and II self assessments are still permitted). Significantly, the memo directs that “all pending and future CMMC implementation milestones across DoW solicitations and contracts are held in abeyance until further notice.” Moreover, the DoW issued a memorandum on implementing these requirements (available here), directing agencies to issue amendments removing CMMC Level 2 and 3 requirements from active solicitations “as soon as practicable.” Contractors should monitor the government’s compliance with this requirement and should be prepared, if needed, to file a bid protest to protect their rights....